Finally, sunset arrived.
Lin Gui forced closed the battered wooden door of the post office and hung up the “Closed” sign.
He shut out the still-boisterous crowd.
Inside the shop, candlelight flickered.
Exhausted, Lin Gui sat down beside a mountain of envelopes and began counting them.
Meanwhile, Theia pinched her nose, disgustedly using two fingers to lift the bag.
It was a heavy, greasy cloth bag filled with copper coins.
She began estimating today's “earnings.”
“Over sixteen hundred letters...”
Lin Gui massaged his aching temples; this number far exceeded his expectations.
“These filthy, sticky copper coins...”
Theia dumped all the money from the bag onto the table.
Looking at the heap of copper coins that had practically formed a small mountain, her face was a picture of utter despair.
“All together, it's probably not even ten gold coins! Heavens, that's not even pocket change compared to the simplest escort mission I used to take! Why don't we just throw them away? It's painful just looking at them!”
She truly couldn't understand.
Why Lin Gui would do something so thankless and exhausting for so little money.
With his strength, he could have easily taken a few high-paying commissions from nobles and lived a comfortable life long ago.
Lin Gui didn't answer her directly. He simply stared in silence at the pile of copper coins, which cast a dull, dark luster under the candlelight.
These rough, sweat-stained, and dirty coins...
...seemed to reflect faces full of hope and humble entreaties.
They also reminded him of himself many years ago, when he too had scavenged for food in garbage piles, struggling just to survive.
In the dead of night, Lin Gui slung the heavy bag of copper coins over his shoulder.
Telling Theia, “I'm going out for a bit,” he stepped out of the post office alone.
He walked through the quiet streets and arrived at the dimly lit slums of New Covenant City.
Before he even drew near, he could see several small, thin figures from a distance.
By the faint moonlight, they were carefully rummaging through garbage piles and corners.
They were looking for anything that could be traded for a bit of food.
The street children saw him too. At first, they tensed up warily.
But once they recognized Lin Gui, a hint of familiarity and relief appeared in their eyes.
Lin Gui walked over without saying a word.
He simply set the heavy bag of copper coins down gently in front of them.
The children froze, staring at the large bag of money.
Their eyes went wide and their breathing quickened, but none of them dared to step forward.
Lin Gui squatted down, his voice gentle.
“Take this money. Divide it among yourselves to buy some food and clothes.”
He paused, looking at the children's incredulous yet yearning gazes, before continuing.
“Also, while I'm away, I'd like to ask for your help. Keep an eye on the new post office on the main street for me.”
“You don't have to do much. Just keep an eye out while you're playing nearby.”
His tone turned a bit more serious.
“If anyone tries to cause trouble—like breaking windows or defacing the walls—don't try to stop them. It's too dangerous.”
“Just quietly remember what they look like, how many there are, and when they came.”
“When I get back, you can lead me to them. Deal?”
The children looked at one another, and finally, the older boy nodded vigorously.
His eyes shone with the excitement of being trusted and the solemnity of bearing a serious responsibility.
“Understood, Big Brother Lin Gui! We'll remember! We promise to watch the post office!”
Lin Gui smiled and patted his head.
After advising them to stay safe a few more times, he stood up and left.
When he returned to the post office, Theia was still wiping her longbow under the light.
She glanced at Lin Gui, who had returned empty-handed, and seemed to understand.
Without asking about the whereabouts of the bag of copper coins, she simply asked softly, “All arranged?”
“Yes,” Lin Gui nodded. “We set off first thing tomorrow morning.”
At the same time, Lin Gui spoke to the system in his mind.
“System, end the retrieval early.”
【Ding! Letter retrieval ended early.】
【Long-distance commission unlocked.】
【Long-Distance Route: New Covenant City → Caran City → Withered Rift (Forbidden Zone) → Carter Royal Capital】
【Objective: Escort 1,324 family letters to Caran City, and escort 348 family letters to Carter Royal Capital.】
【Weekly Commission updated.】
【Objective: Escort 1,324 family letters to Caran City.】
【Route: New Covenant City → Black Demon Forest → Audo Canyon → Caran City】
【Time Limit: 14 natural days】
【Completion Condition: Delivery rate must exceed 70%.】
【Basic Reward: For every letter delivered, receive 1x random Novice Magic spell.】
【Extra Reward: Minor increase to magic control precision and maximum mana capacity.】
【Risk Assessment: Demon activity in the Black Demon Forest route is at 3%. Demons are currently pitifully scarce inside, making it suitable for direct passage...】
------ “May every thought cross the darkness and reach the other side.”
The morning mist had not yet fully dispersed.
Yet, a small convoy had already gathered on the main street of New Covenant City, drawing the attention of early-rising residents.
At the core of the convoy was a carriage that, while somewhat ornately decorated, had clearly had its axles reinforced for long-distance travel.
The driver was a steady-looking veteran, currently inspecting the reins and wheels with great care.
Surrounding the carriage were eight fully armored, solemn-looking City Lord's manor guards riding tall warhorses.
Leading them was none other than the Knight Commander, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings as he maintained a high state of alertness.
Lin Gui and Theia stood slightly ahead of the convoy.
Lin Gui still wore his faded mage robes, carrying his bulging backpack stuffed with the letters collected yesterday and essential travel supplies.
Theia had changed into a set of practical leather armor, her elven longbow slung across her back and her quiver full. Her silver hair was tied into a neat ponytail as her emerald eyes calmly observed their surroundings.
It was a somewhat peculiar combination.
A squad of elite soldiers escorting a carriage, yet led by a shabby-looking mage and a beautiful elven ranger.
“Hmph, so slow! How much longer are you going to make me wait?!”
The carriage curtain was pulled aside by a hand wearing a silk glove, revealing the City Lord's daughter's face, which was practically dripping with impatience.
Her critical gaze swept over Lin Gui and Theia, lingering for a moment on Theia's breathtaking face as a flicker of hard-to-detect jealousy flashed in her eyes.
“I really don't know what Father was thinking, hiring people of such dubious origins...”
The commander frowned and said in a deep voice, “My Lady, please remain patient.”
“Mage Lin Gui and Lady Theia were specifically hired by the City Lord as guides and escorts. We will need their expertise to cross the Black Demon Forest.”
“Expertise?”
The young lady sneered, her voice soft but clear enough to be heard.
“A mage who looks like a beggar, and an elf who looks like a dancing girl? I think—”
Before she could finish, Theia's gaze swept over indifferently.
Though her look was calm and rippleless, it sent an inexplicable chill down the young lady's spine.
She instinctively swallowed her remaining harsh words and resentfully let the curtain drop.
“Is everyone here? Let us set off.”
Seeing no further issues, the Knight Commander gave the order.
The convoy slowly set in motion, the horses' hooves and carriage wheels clattering crisply against the cobblestone road as they headed toward the city gate.
Passing pedestrians quickly made way, watching the convoy with complex expressions.
Some looked on with envy, others with worry, and some whispered about the young lady's spoiled nature and the dangers of this journey.
Just as the convoy was about to pass through the city gate, several small, thin figures suddenly ran out from the roadside.
They were the street children from the slums the night before.
They stood timidly by the side of the road, not daring to approach the convoy, yet they puffed out their thin chests as best they could.
They waved vigorously at Lin Gui, their eyes filled with a sense of promise, silently saying, “Leave it to us.”
Lin Gui gave them a slight nod.
Theia saw this too, the corner of her mouth curling into a barely perceptible smile.
Only the young lady inside the carriage peeked out from the corner of the curtain once more.
Spotting the children in their tattered clothes, she knit her brows in disgust and muttered under her breath, “What an eyesore...”
Once outside the city gates, the scenery changed abruptly.
No longer the relatively safe territory of the city-state, they were greeted by a wilderness thick with a faint sense of desolation and danger.
The commander rode his horse up to Lin Gui and Theia, his tone solemn.
“Mage Lin Gui, Lady Theia, I will be relying on you both from here on. According to scout reports, the Black Demon Forest has been unusually quiet lately, but we must not let our guard down.”
Lin Gui nodded. His gaze drifted toward the dark forest in the distance, which loomed like a dormant beast, as he thought to himself:
Quiet? That's because the “big guys” inside have all run off to blockade someone else's doorstep...
He took a deep breath and gripped his oak staff tightly.
“Let's go.”
The convoy officially set foot into the vast and peril-filled wilderness, advancing toward the abnormally silent Black Demon Forest.
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